Plumber&#39;s torch



W. F. PAGEL. PLUMB'ERS ToacH. APPLICATIN FILED SEPT. 25,1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM F. PAGEL, OF SYCAMORE, ILLINOIS.

PLUMIBER/S TORCH;

Applicationlcd September 25, 1920.. Serial No, 412,643.

To all who/m, t may concer/nv;

Be it known that l, WILLIAM F. PAGEL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident ofSycamore, in the county of De Kalb and State of illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Plumbers Torch, of which the following is a specification.

`My invention relates to improvements in heating devices and has special reference to improvements in so-called plumbers torches, particularly the burners for such torches.

Usually such a torch comprises a tankfor containing liquid fuel such as gasoline, means such asan air pumpfor placing the fuel under pressure, and a burner above the tank connected with the lower portion thereof to which the fuel is lifted by the pressure in the tank. e

l/ilhile the fuel for such torches was high grade gasoline very little difficulty was eX- `perienoed in obtaining satisfactory results` but as the grade of the fuel constantly dropped more and more, difficulty has been experienced in keeping the open flame burning satisfactorily, frequently the flame sputtering and `going out on account of the projection of nongasiiied or liquid fuel through the burner, Vwhereasthe fuelshouldl either at the burner orifice, but preferably beforev reaching the o rilicebe changed from a liquid to a gas. p

My improvement contemplates the provision of such a perfectly operating gasifier through which the fuel passes on its way from the tank tothefuel orifice whereby, after the torchhas been put in operation, it is a practical impossibility for any fuel to reach the fuel orifice in liquid form.

Another important feature of my invention relates to convenient means for the production of -this edective gasifier; to'means bywhich the passages can be readily cleared or cleaned; and to means for causing the fuel to be gasified by heat derived from the flame of the torch.

Still further important advantages and features vwill be made clear from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a side' elevation of a torch equipped with a burner shown in longitudinal vertical central section, and embodying my invention in one form;

Figure 2 is a detail cross section of the burner tube on the line 242 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a section similar to Figure 1` showing a modified form of burner.

Iny said drawings, 1 illustrates the fuel tank of the torch or lamp, which carries at one` side a hand operable air pump 2 for placing the liquid fuel in the tank under pressure. At the opposite side .a pipe 3 is secured to the tank by means of a pipe connection el at its lower end and a rigid bracket 5 affixed to the tankadjacent to its upper end. This pipe delivers the liquid fuel from the bottom of the tank to the burner, which l designate'generally by 6, above the top of the tank. y

The burner comprises an elongated burner tube? which in common practice is inclined slightly upwardly toward its open end or mouth 8. This tube is cylindrical in cross section and of substantially uniform diameter from end to end. The rear end is closed by a head or wall 9 which is provided with a central inlet opening 10 forming the inner end of a hollow coned mixing tube-11 projecting rearwardly from the rear head 9 and axially ywith the burner tube.

Upon the underside of the burner tube l provide a nozzle 12 which is internally threaded to fit upon the upper threaded end 13 of the Afeed pipe 3. The burner when screwed on to the feed pipe, is locked in po'- sition by a threaded hub 14 of a pan 15 whichsurrounds the tube 3 and is positioned below the burner for use in heating same to start the torch.

For delivering the fuel from the feed pipe 3 to theburner T' provide a feed passage 16 in the burner casting extending upwardly from the hollow nozzle 12 into a horizontal feed passage or ductA 17 which is arranged close to the lower wall of the cylindrical burnertube 7 and extends substantially the whole length of same. This duct is substantially horizontal, having the same pitch or inclination backward as the burner 'tube and the feed passage 16 enters substantially at the middle thereof. Between the nozzle 12 and the duct 7 I provide 'a needle 'shut oil' valve 18 by which the flow of fuel tothe duct 17 can be regulated or shut off. As shown in Figure 1, this valve 18 is formed on the inner end of a valve stem 19 which extends out through a suitable stulfer 20and is provided on its outer end with a suitable hand wheel 21. The inner end 22 of the tity of fuel which is left in the feed passages when the torch is stopped by shutting the valve.

To deliver the fuel into the open end 23 of the'coned mixing tube 11, I provide a delivery or feed pipe 24 which is U-shaped,

having vonelong arm 25 adapted to be inserted within 'the duct 17 and a short arm 26 provided with a feedV nozzle 27 adapted to be positioned centrally at the open end 23 of Athe mixingv tube.

Av'The feed pipe extends substantially the whole length Vof rthe duct 17 and can be adjusted longitudinally relatively to the burner. It is adapted to be held fixed in itsy adjusted position by stuffer nut or gland 28 through which the pipe extends and suitable packing 29 surrounding the pipe and adapted tobe compressed by screwing in the nut 28. This pipe is slightly smaller in diameter thanthe duct 17 providing a thin cylindrical "space 30 surrounding the pipe inV communication with the feed passage. 16. [The relatively thinV film of fuel in the space 30 facilitates the changing of the fuel i from a-liquid to a gaseous form by heatv deijived from the burner 2. As the passage 30' ispioduced in the body of the burner casting the heat is readily transmitted through the casting fromk the burning gases within the burner'tube tothe fuel within theipassage 30. As the liquid is gasified feed tube 24 may not be accidentally closed A coned mixing tube 11.

or shut by pushing the tubein too far I provide small notches 32 at the extreme inner endl" One advantage of the adjustable feed tube 24is that the delivery orifice 33 of the feed nozzle 27 can be placed Awithin the outer end of'the coned mixing tube, asshown in at its outer larger end serves as an injector to draw in sufficient air for proper combustionfandthe narrowing, .or coned shape, as-

sistsl in produ -i1ig this suction effect and also assists inthe mixing of the air with the stream of hot gaseous fuel issuing from the fuel orifice. 'For the purpose of'admitting additional fuel I provide holes 34 in the head 9 surrounding the inner end of the W'hile I have had excellent results with a plain burner tube, I have found it adburner tube andV thence to the fuel in the'VV passage 17. It is to be noted that from the nozzle 12 to the fuel'orifice the fuel passages 16,30 Vand the hollow feed tube 24 are of very small cross sectional area and that the heated portion thereof, both out side and insidethe feed'- tube 24, is relatively long sorthat the interval of vtime to which the fuel is subjected to the heating effect is relatively long," thus assuring the perfect gasification'of all of the fuel before it reaches the fuel orifice. f The heat transmitted to the lfuel by reason of the thin rib 31 which projects intoV the flame 36 is sufficient to assure the gasification of the fuel leven if it liquid'fuelV of the character kerosene, or even fuel which requires a higher temperature than kerosene in order to gasify it. i j

In Figure 3 I have illustrated a form of burner which, whileit preserves many of the important features of that shown in Figure 1, has some peculiar advantages of Vits own.

In this second formtheburner tube 7, the feed passagesland 17, and the heat absorbing rib 35 are substantially the same as shown in Figure 1. i

In this'fo'rm I do not provide a small feed tube which is readily longitudinally. adjustable, but one which is fixed relatively to the burnertube once it is assembled. In this form, however, as in that shown in Figure 1, the small feed Vtubeisreadily removable so that any clogging of the feed passages can readily be removed, but I eliminate the stuffer and packing which surround the small feed tube in the firstform, n InY the second form I provide a feed connection 37 having an externally threaded end 38 adapted to be screwed intoan enlarged end 39 of the feed passage 17 and provided with a small bore central feed passage 40. Thisconnects with arfeed tube 41 similar tothe portion `offthe feed tube 24 lying within the passage 17 and having the same function of providing a thin film of the fuel in contact with the metal of the burner and an elongated feed passage of small cross-sectional area.

The connection 37 is provided with an upstanding arm 42 provided on its free end Yfuel around same.

For clearing the delivery orifice I provide a removable plug 48 at the rear of the nozzle 43. In this form of burner the fuel orifice is adjusted quite close to the inlet end of the mixing tube though on account of having to rotate the connection 37 to secure it in position it is not practicable to position the delivery orifice Within the outer end of the mixing tube However, the shut off valve in this second form can be positioned closer to the delivery orifice and consequently the quantity of fuel remaining between the valve and the orifice When the torch is shut down is less in the second form than in the first form.

As many modifications of my invention Will readily suggest themselves to one skilled in the art, I do not limit or confine my invention to the specific details of construction and arrangement of parts herein shown and described.

I claim:

l. In a plumbers torch, a tubular burner adapted to be connected with a fuel tank, a fuel passage communicating with the tank and having al fuel delivery orifice at one end of said burner, the fuel passage having a portion Within the Wall of the burner, a feed tube of small diameter Within said portion of the fuel passage, a valve for controlling the flow of fuel to the burner, and a rib on the inner surface of the burner adjacent to said portion of the fuel passage, the rib adapted to project into the flame in the burner.

2. In a plumbers torch, a tubular burner adapted for connection to a fuel tank, means for delivering fuel from the tank to a fuel orifice, comprising a passage at one side of the burner extending substantially the length thereof, a feed tube of relatively small diameter projecting into said passage substantially the length thereof, and having a return bend portion provided at its free end with a. delivery nozzle adapted to project fuel centrally into one end of the burner, said feed tube being longitudinally adjustable so that the nozzle can be projected Within the adjacent end of the burner, and means for holding the feed tube in its adjusted position.

Signed at Sycamore in the county of De Kalb and State of Illinois, this 21st day of.

September, A. D. 1920.

WILLIAM F. PAGEL. 

